a blood test which would evaluate the risk of them developing prostate cancer

A research project done which looked at the incidences of cancer of the prostrate in Swedish men saw that a combination of five specific genes greatly increased the likelihood of them suffering from the disease. The researchers said that along with a family history of suffering from prostate cancer almost 50 percent of cases could be foretold by this gene testing beforehand.

Obviously it would be extremely beneficial for doctors and patients if they could know for sure that in the future prostate cancer was going to develop because affirmative action could be taken to prevent it. This could mean that in the future men would be given a simple blood test which would evaluate the risk of them developing prostate cancer. This means that they could be given regular checks and actually offered preventative treatment to stop the prostate cancer forming in the first place.

Interestingly the finasteride drug which is the active compound in the hair loss drug Propecia is seen to be effective in preventing the prostate cancer disease forming. In testing it has been shown that regular use of Propecia (even though it is for hair loss) can reduce the likelihood of suffering from prostate cancer in the future.

Dr Teri Manolio working at the National Human Genome Research Institute in America said that his genetic research could be used to develop a simple gene test that would very accurately predict the risk of cancer of the prostate which could lead to far better survival and recovery rates. The research was done by doctors at Wake Forest University in North Carolina and they also took advice from the Johns Hopkins University based in Baltimore as well as the Karolinska Institute based in Stockholm, Sweden.

This research is likely to encourage more study in the area and could interest large pharmaceutical companies who would see a considerable financial gain to be made as cancer of the prostate is the most common form of cancer in American men.